In my last blog I talked about how you need to stop chasing your child with food. So many of us do it and it often comes from a place of worry about our kiddo’s growth and weight. It comes from a place of having picky eaters who won’t always eat what is served at meals. I get it, I really do. My youngest was so small. I was completely convinced she had a rare genetic syndrome that kept her at under 20 lbs for the first 2 years of her life. My doctor repeatedly reassured me that she did not but reminded me regularly that her place just below the 1st percentile for weight was not ideal. When I say I get it, I mean it. I get it. Allow me to share with you something I learned on my journey as a feeding therapist as well as a mom. Do not allow your kiddo to graze and nibble all day long. Believe it or not, it actually slows down weight gain.
Wait a minute, what did I just say? Eating all day slows down weight gain in kids? I know it sounds insane especially when you think about the fact that we, as adults, graze on snacks all day and we gain plenty of weight. Well, in kids it’s a little different. Kids gain weight best when their hunger cycles throughout the day. This means giving them 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day with at least a couple hours between to allow their bodies to get hungry. When they sip and nibble on liquid with calories and foods throughout the day it actually dulls their hunger so they don’t eat good quantities of the more nutritionally dense and higher calorie foods. Kids are also more willing to try new foods when they’re hungry. Let me say that again. Kids are more willing to try new foods when they’re hungry. If you think about it it makes sense. I mean most people would not be interested in trying a raw oyster if you’re not all that hungry. It’s slimy. It smells weird. But imagine now your stomach is growling. You’ve not eaten in hours and someone sets down the same food. You’re way more willing to challenge yourself when you’re hungry. What does this mean for your kiddo? It means no little bowls of goldfish crackers on the end table. No handy spill proof containers of cheerios while they watch Cocomelon. No sippy cups of juice or milk left strategically around the house. Nope. Just don’t do it. I know it’s hard to resist but imagine how many fewer dishes you’ll have to deal with and how much cleaner your floors will be!
-Tricia-